Enhanced system and method for providing a virtual space

Abstract

A system and method for providing a virtual space determines a representation of the virtual space based on information defining a personality of a character within the virtual space and/or information indicating a user's personality. The system and method may also determine the information defining the character's personality based on information regarding the user and/or information regarding the character. In some examples, the system and method may further determine information to facilitate a development of the user based on the information describing the user's personality. The system and method may also determine the user's personality based on information indicating user's personality. In some examples, the user's personality may be determined based on user's experiences within the virtual space. In some other examples, the user's personality may be determined based on information regarding the user that is acquired from sources external to the virtual space.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for configuring a virtual character, comprising:
 determining, on a processor, a first personality associated with a user; 
 determining, on the processor, a second personality associated with a virtual character configured to engage in one or more interactive exchanges with the user, wherein the second personality associated with the virtual character is determined based at least in part on the first personality associated with the user, the second personality being different than the first personality and wherein the virtual character is not a virtual representation of the user; and 
 configuring, on the processor, the virtual character to engage in the one or more interactive exchanges with the user in accordance with the second personality such that the second personality at least partially influences one or more manifested behaviors of the virtual character during the one or more interactive exchanges, wherein the one or more manifested behaviors are controlled by the virtual character and are responsive to input from the user in the one or more interactive exchanges. 
 
     
     
       2. The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein the virtual character is configured to behave in a manner that explicitly conveys the second personality associated with the virtual character during the one or more interactive exchanges. 
     
     
       3. The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein the virtual character is configured to behave in a manner that implicitly conveys the second personality associated with the virtual character during the one or more interactive exchanges. 
     
     
       4. The method recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, during the one or more interactive exchanges, input from the user indicating an emotional response to the one or more manifested behaviors of the virtual character during the one or more interactive exchanges; and 
 adjusting the second personality associated with the virtual character according to the indicated emotional response. 
 
     
     
       5. The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein the second personality further influences one or more of a visual representation or an audible representation of the virtual character during the one or more interactive exchanges. 
     
     
       6. The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein the virtual character acts as a mentor or a therapist to the user during the one or more interactive exchanges. 
     
     
       7. The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein the second personality associated with the virtual character is determined to complement the first personality associated with the user. 
     
     
       8. The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein the second personality associated with the virtual character is determined to entertain the user. 
     
     
       9. The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein the virtual character is an avatar that is controlled by the user in a virtual space. 
     
     
       10. The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein the virtual character is an artificial intelligence character controlled by one or more computer programs. 
     
     
       11. A system for configuring a virtual character, comprising:
 electronic storage configured to store information related to a first personality associated with a user; and 
 a processor coupled to the electronic storage and configured to:
 determine a second personality associated with a virtual character configured to engage in one or more interactive exchanges with the user based at least in part on the first personality associated with the user, the second personality being different than the first personality and wherein the virtual character is not a virtual representation of the user; and 
 configure the virtual character to engage in the one or more interactive exchanges with the user in accordance with the second personality such that the second personality at least partially influences one or more manifested behaviors of the virtual character during the one or more interactive exchanges, wherein the one or more manifested behaviors are controlled by the virtual character and are responsive to input from the user in the one or more interactive exchanges. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The system recited in  claim 11 , wherein the virtual character is configured to behave in a manner that explicitly conveys the second personality associated with the virtual character during the one or more interactive exchanges. 
     
     
       13. The system recited in  claim 11 , wherein the virtual character is configured to behave in a manner that implicitly conveys the second personality associated with the virtual character during the one or more interactive exchanges. 
     
     
       14. The system recited in  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 receive, during the one or more interactive exchanges, input from the user indicating an emotional response to the one or more manifested behaviors of the virtual character during the one or more interactive exchanges; and 
 adjust the second personality associated with the virtual character according to the indicated emotional response. 
 
     
     
       15. The system recited in  claim 11 , wherein the second personality further influences one or more of a visual representation or an audible representation of the virtual character during the one or more interactive exchanges. 
     
     
       16. The system recited in  claim 11 , wherein the virtual character acts as a mentor or a therapist to the user during the one or more interactive exchanges. 
     
     
       17. The system recited in  claim 11 , wherein the second personality associated with the virtual character is determined to complement the first personality associated with the user. 
     
     
       18. The system recited in  claim 11 , wherein the second personality associated with the virtual character is determined to entertain the user. 
     
     
       19. The system recited in  claim 11 , wherein the virtual character is an avatar that is controlled by the user in a virtual space. 
     
     
       20. The system recited in  claim 11 , wherein the virtual character is an artificial intelligence character controlled by one or more computer programs.